Ok, not “Superman” superman.. but those people who just want to be a hero at work. They are the ones who constantly work around the clock and over most weekends. They tackle the impossible tasks and deliver the impossible… They come into work each day looking for how they can save the world. They are the martyrs of the corporate world and product folks love and reward them.
Sounds great! Why would I say they are bad?!? We should have more of them!
Oh… well, most of the time, they are working around the clock because they lack any organizational or planning skills. They didn’t realize how much it would take to do it, so they are rushing. Often, they don’t design what they are doing, they just do it, hence their estimates are usually way under. Ever wonder about those last minute “killer bugs”? They get the work done fast, but it’s sloppy. There are holes in the logic, little error handling, no thought of performance. They made it look cool and it does exactly what it was asked to do. Any faults are with the user of the system, not superman. Don’t even ask about maintenance or ease of enhancements.
Give me an office full of Batman’s any day. They are the backbone of the organization, the work horses. They plan, investigate, research… they are the detectives who are aware of their own mortality and that of their code. They don’t come in everyday asking how they can save the world, they plan for building a solid foundation, determine how to get from here to there and setout to do it in a calm, orderly manner. They are predictable, but have deep insight due to their solid understanding. The don’t seek the limelight and thanks for saving Gotham, but are satisfied with just doing their job well.
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